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Lungplant
Anatomy A Lungplant is a strange immobile lifeform that inhabits subterranean planet 545C. It’s lifestyle resembles that of carnivorous plants although anatomically it’s body is closer to that of animals. Stems Sprouting out of a Lungplant’s body are three stems that split midway to add three more. The stems grow toward warmth and give nutrients to the body. The stems provide respiration and food. The three base stems have a tube that transports nutrients, an intestine, an artery and a vein. Respiratory stems At the tips of three of the stems are porous, pulsing sacks that are filled with alveoli (structure within lungs that help you breath) that function as lungs although they take in carbon dioxide. The stems that are tipped by lungs have three main tubes: an artery that carries blood back to the body and stems, a vein that carries blood back to the lungs and a tube that transports nutrients. the lungs are the only way to find a Lungplant because the lungs are the only part that stick out of the ground Feeding Stems The other three stems are capped with tough appendages shaped like flat topped funnels. The funnels act as traps and lie just below the martian surface waiting for prey. Once the Lungplant detects that it has caught something the traps snap shut at the flat top preventing escape. Once the prey is then broken up with rows of conical teeth that extend up and down. Stems that connect to the traps are filled by an artery, a vein and an intestine. Body The body is at the base of all the stems and contains all the organs. The body gets nutrients from the nutrient tube and the intestines and has an attachment to excrete its waste. Main Body The main body is a tough sack that is netted with nutrient tubes, veins and artery on the outer layers and tangles of intestines on the inner layers and tangles of intestines on the inside. The body can’t control the growth of the stems as it lacks nerves or a brain. Temperatures of the body range between 45-50 °C because of its warm blood and long gut for efficient digestion. The good digestion also allows for it to regrow any appendages as long as it has at least one lung. Waste attachment The body has an attachment about the same size as the main body that has holes scattered all around it. The attachment holds the lower gut and excretes solid white chunks of bone, shell and other indigestible material through the numerous holes. This module of the body is covered in holes because if the holes get clogged up the bone is just forced out another part of the waste attachment’s thin skin. Long intestines are the reason that the waste is so simple and nutrient free. Reproduction The Lungplant reproduces when the stems attached to the lungs grow too long and the body releases hormones for the stem connecting the lungs to the body to wither away. The independent lung grows a stem going downward with what will become the body at the bottom. Once big enough the body grows the two other base stems that eventually split and become lungs and traps. Ecology The Lungplant is in a strange position in the martian ecosystem as parts of it are eaten by many many martians but it also devours many creatures that prey on parts of it. Diet Lungplants often don’t (and can’t) mind what lands on it’s traps as long as it is edible because they lack nerves or a brain. The prey often end up getting trapped because they are lured in by their nutritious lungs. The of aliens prey on every other creature on the planet that manages to get trapped. Predators Predators of the Lungplant are numerous because their lungs are also where all the nutrient tubes meet resulting in the lungs being prized and highly sought after by the other aliens. Removing the lungs often doesn’t kill the Lungplant because they have many lungs. The only creatures that can kill the body are burrowing creature that can reach its underground body. Habitat The Lungplants normally prefer habitats near the equator but can survive anywhere on planet 545b due to its abnormally high body temperature. Lungplants live in clusters because of Its way of breaking off to populate.